For the past two days I have been at a Motorcycle riding class. My goals were to learn all the skills I needed to safely ride a motorcycle, and to pass all the tests and gain my endorsement. This morning as I left for day two, I was slightly sore from yesterday, and very nervous. I don't know why, I did really well yesterday, so I had no reason to be nervous. I prayed before I left, that I could ride to the best of my ability, and that I would be safe.
As I got to class, I was still nervous. We got on our bikes, and they had me go first as we practiced tight maneuvers- U turns, s turns etc. I did the U turn correctly on my first attempt, and did ok on the S turn, did one more turn and headed to the line to try on the other side. Suddenly when it was my turn to go, I got nervous. I didn't have my head in the right place- physically or mentally, so when i went to make the turn i was too wide and then I over corrected and looked down, and dumped the bike. I didn't get hurt, the bike didn't get hurt, it was a very controlled dump, but because yesterday I dumped the bike when i didn't have the kick stand fully engaged when I parked one time, it meant that my day, my class, my dream for now is over, and I had to leave the class.
The instructor told me as I left, that he hoped I would take the class again, that I had showed incredible improvements from yesterday morning, and that I really had done quite well, but due to insurance, a bike dump was a bike dump and if the bike hits the ground twice your out- no matter how or why.
In a way, I think I am glad I will have a bit more time to work on this. My shoulder was sore from yesterday, and my left hand, and I would rather have exited safely than not. I am still sad I didn't accomplish my goal, but I am glad I could go out with my head held high, that I actually did do well and I only didn't pass for stupid little mistakes. I will work on my arm strength and endurance, and on keeping my head up. I think my skating coach would agree on both those for my skating any way.
But, With 21 days till the Olympic games begin, my experience was very reminiscent of the Olympic trials, and many Olympics themselves. Heck, Alicia Sacramone missed her beam entrance last Olympics, and had to live that down again all trials, and she had to wait for years for the chance to fix that error, and still didn't get that chance. We all know she can get on to the beam without falling off, but for whatever reason, nerves likely, the time it was most important that she did, she didn't. I could have made sure my kick stand was up, and I definitely could have made sure the bike didn't go down today, I could have, I knew what to do, and I proved on my first run that I knew how to do it, I just didn't when it counted.
When I was a volunteer at the Salt Lake Olympics, I got to meet Jim McKay, the ABC sports caster that coined the phrase "the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat." Probably one of the best lines ever said, and a good man. Today, I think more than any other time in my life, in the span of less than five minutes, I experienced both, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Victory rocks, Defeat make me wanna cry. But, its not the triumph, but the struggle, So Just like Alicia Sacramone got back up and tried again, just like countless others have done and will do, I am going to take a break, Practice on the scooters with my dad, and then go take the class again, and next time, I am gonna pass it. BOOM!
As I got to class, I was still nervous. We got on our bikes, and they had me go first as we practiced tight maneuvers- U turns, s turns etc. I did the U turn correctly on my first attempt, and did ok on the S turn, did one more turn and headed to the line to try on the other side. Suddenly when it was my turn to go, I got nervous. I didn't have my head in the right place- physically or mentally, so when i went to make the turn i was too wide and then I over corrected and looked down, and dumped the bike. I didn't get hurt, the bike didn't get hurt, it was a very controlled dump, but because yesterday I dumped the bike when i didn't have the kick stand fully engaged when I parked one time, it meant that my day, my class, my dream for now is over, and I had to leave the class.
The instructor told me as I left, that he hoped I would take the class again, that I had showed incredible improvements from yesterday morning, and that I really had done quite well, but due to insurance, a bike dump was a bike dump and if the bike hits the ground twice your out- no matter how or why.
In a way, I think I am glad I will have a bit more time to work on this. My shoulder was sore from yesterday, and my left hand, and I would rather have exited safely than not. I am still sad I didn't accomplish my goal, but I am glad I could go out with my head held high, that I actually did do well and I only didn't pass for stupid little mistakes. I will work on my arm strength and endurance, and on keeping my head up. I think my skating coach would agree on both those for my skating any way.
But, With 21 days till the Olympic games begin, my experience was very reminiscent of the Olympic trials, and many Olympics themselves. Heck, Alicia Sacramone missed her beam entrance last Olympics, and had to live that down again all trials, and she had to wait for years for the chance to fix that error, and still didn't get that chance. We all know she can get on to the beam without falling off, but for whatever reason, nerves likely, the time it was most important that she did, she didn't. I could have made sure my kick stand was up, and I definitely could have made sure the bike didn't go down today, I could have, I knew what to do, and I proved on my first run that I knew how to do it, I just didn't when it counted.
When I was a volunteer at the Salt Lake Olympics, I got to meet Jim McKay, the ABC sports caster that coined the phrase "the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat." Probably one of the best lines ever said, and a good man. Today, I think more than any other time in my life, in the span of less than five minutes, I experienced both, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Victory rocks, Defeat make me wanna cry. But, its not the triumph, but the struggle, So Just like Alicia Sacramone got back up and tried again, just like countless others have done and will do, I am going to take a break, Practice on the scooters with my dad, and then go take the class again, and next time, I am gonna pass it. BOOM!
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